MySpace and Your Child

MySpace

If you have kids, more than likely, they have an account on MySpace.com.

ANYONE can create an account on this site - there is NO PROTECTION guaranteed from sexual predators or gang members.

I want to show you just HOW MUCH information your child is putting out there on the world wide web for everyone to see. Not just their friends - EVERYONE.
This is making them targets.

You may be thinking - "no, my kid has an account but he is not hooked into any gangs at all" or " my kid is too smart to put a lot of personal information out there".....

I have had parents sit and tell me just that. When I ask a parent if their child is involved in gangs the answer is normally "no". Then I ask the parent if they know if their child has a MySpace account....the answer is normally - "yes - I have seen it".....

Then I pull up their child's name under the MySpace website - - here is what happens:

• Their child's web page suddenly pops up and the background is filled with gang symbols such as crowns, F13, or Sur13 etc.....all gang "high alert" signs.
• The same page will more than likely have "gangster music"
• Scrolling down the same page it will normally have a "personal survey"
• Then I will glance over their friends comments and find out who they "hang with" (normally it is other gang members)
• On the same page I might find marijuana leaves, beer signs, meth pictures etc....

Get the point? Now just imagine the parent suddenly realizing that they really don't know their own child's life like they thought they did.

On these personal surveys that the kids fill out and post on their pages, it is meant for their friends. They are kids. They don't think about the fact that sexual predators are checking these pages out too. They don't think about the fact that maybe a sexual predator is interested in their little baby sister who they have pictured. Or the fact that their address is super easy to locate.

Just "googling" your phone number can pull up your address with a map of directions how to get to your house. Scary? Yes it is.

Our kids are not stupid. They are however naive in the facts of life when it comes down to thinking "what are the consequences".....

They are kids. That is what they have parents for - to teach them the consequences. Before it's too late.

These kids that create the MySpace pages are really talented. They can design a web page that is incredible. Self taught designers. However, as I said, you must as a parent teach them to be safe.

Many parents are not aware that their child is living a "secret life" online. I have had parents tell me, " my son is not in a gang, he is involved in the church and is a good boy"....Hey Mom and Dad - check out his MySpace page. Since when does marijuana leaves running across a webpage have anything to do with church?

A mom of a young girl told me once, " my daughter is out of control, she will not listen to me at all"....I looked up her daughters MySpace page,saw that her 13 year old daughter was being groomed by a sexual predator. The predator was a gang member over the age of 21 who groomed young girls so that they would join his gang. Her mom's "new" knowledge saved this young girl's life.

If you don't have a clue about running a computer - there are parent training programs through the Watchful Eye Foundation available. These are free programs with a free will donation accepted. Classes will start in January and are limited to 15 people per session.

Give me eight hours and I will provide you with a necessary learning tool that EVERY PARENT will need to ensure their child's safety. If your child is important to you then their safety should be number one on the list.

You might be saying "I am so tired when I get home from work" or "I have so much to do, I don't have time for this" ........IF YOU LOVE YOUR CHILD THEN YOU SHOULD CARE ENOUGH TO TAKE THIS CLASS AND LEARN HOW TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF YOUR CHILD.

Trust me, their are things going on in your child's life that you are just not aware of. Some of it is really scary.

Don't wait until your child is in court or your child has been sexually abused.

We wont show you how to work Quick books or how to design websites. We WILL show you however how to know what your child is doing on line.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO KNOW HOW TO OPERATE A COMPUTER - all you need to know is how to turn it on.

These classes will be held in English and Spanish. Call 402/412-3393 to sign up.

Give your child the gift of safety. By providing them with your parental knowledge you will keep them safe from all harm.